thenightling

[thenightling]

Svengoolie has a great selection of movies this month.

Last week he showed The Black Scorpion. This week was The Werewolf of London. Next week is Hammer's Horror of Dracula (Dracula 1958). And the week after that is Curse of Frankenstein with a "House of Svengoolie" Double feature of Leprechaun. And then the week after that is the horror anthology, Dead of Night.

[thenightling]

Wednesday (Addams) Netflix Grandmother confusion

For those confused about Joanna Lumley's role in Wednesday and why she doesn't look like the crazed crone Grandmama... She is NOT playing Grandmama (The crazy old witch grandmother you are familiar with). A LOT of articles are getting this wrong. The "Hag" grandmother in the 60s TV show was Gomez's mother. She's only Morticia's mother in the 90s movies. In fact because of the confusion, in The Addams Family Broadway musical Gomez exclaims "My mother?! I thought she was YOUR mother!" and then they shrug it off and just quietly decide to forget the matter. She's just Grandmama. Now who is Mrs. Lumley playing? Well, she's playing Mrs. Frump, Morticia's mother, as portrayed in the 1960s TV series. Mrs. Frump was (ironically) played by Margaret Hamilton (Yes, The Wicked Witch of the West). But she was not the crazy old Grandmama. That's (in the 60s show) Gomez's mother. Now, who is Ophelia? Ophelia is Morticia's sister. In the 60s show she was incredibly strong. She could toss Gomez on his back with one hand like he does to his tax attorney in the 90s Addams family movie. She was good at sword play (Again, like Gomez). But she loved flowers (which Gomez was allergic to). And there were even flowers growing out of her scalp, that when tugged, could pull other parts of her body like arms or legs, suggesting that the root systems went all through her body. There are some throw-away lines in the 60s show about Aunt Ophelia being a witch. And personally, I think that timid prisoner Wednesday freed in season 2, part 1, is probably Aunt Ophelia. Here's both Grandmama and Grandma Frump together.

[thenightling]

Werewolf of London is on Svengoolie right now!

[thenightling]

The new season of King of the Hill is actually really good once you get used to the idea that all the characters have aged and get used to Dale sounding different. The only flaw I can name is in the second to last episode, Cotton's widow talks about applying an ointment to his stumps. Cotton didn't have stumps. We had been told doctors sewed his feet to just under his knees after his shins were mangled on the battle field. That's why he didn't have shins.

[thenightling]

So I was thinking about Spider-Man and some of the early descriptions of Peter's Spider-Sense. He felt it as a tingle that went up and down his spine and in his scalp. You know what we call that today? ASMR.

Peter Parker has an ASMR reaction to trouble. :-P As if he didn't have enough issues, imagine how the poor guy would react if a Youtube ASMR video worked for him.

[thenightling]

I think some of the more dubious Sandman headcanons would not happen if more fans actually read the comics.

For example anyone remember that annoying "Whorepheus" trend? Meanwhile in the comics we only know him to have had six lovers in about ten billion years. That's like calling Elon Musk a big spender if he spent six dollars and nothing else for his entire life.

And then there was the headcanon about Jessamy being a real raven and all of Morpheus's previous ravens having been regular ravens and Matthew being the first made from a deceased human. All because we never got to see Jessamy speak. Meanwhile, in the comics every raven was previously mortal. Lucien, Aristeas, Jessamy, and Matthew.

And now there are people headcanoning that Delirium was in on the conspiracy to cause Morpheus's death. Really, folks?! Really!? The story wasn't dark enough for you!?

If you actually read The Sandman: The Kindly Ones Delirium becomes upset when she sees Morpheus' statue in Destiny's garden appear to be crying. The statues show the true nature of each Endless, hers is still Delight, by the way.

And while looking for Barnabas, Delirium ends up at Lux (Lucifer's piano bar) and tries to ask Lucifer to help Morpheus and Lucifer tells her that it's too late.

She does NOT want Morpheus hurt or dead. What the Hell, people?

Just read the source material.

This is worse than when Tumblr Marvel's Loki fans nicknamed Agent of Asgard Loki "Teen Loki" even though he was supposed to be adult. Kid Loki was teen Loki (Loki age fourteen). He didn't age up only two or so years.

Or the fans who headcanoned that Marvel Loki's favorite food was pudding, American style pudding (So only sweet, not savory- like chocolate pudding cups). And the reasoning was Tom Hiddleston (who was talking about British puddings) said he liked pudding.

Meanwhile the comics repeatedly declared that Loki's favorite food was "breakfast meats." (Eggs, sausage, bacon.)

It's okay to come up with your own headcanons but in my own experience I think the best headcanons are actually reasonable deductions based on the content that is cnaon, i.e. suggesting that Wonder Woman's favorite food is strawberry ice cream. This can come from Wonder Woman talking about how great ice cream is in the Wonder Woman movie and comics, and also many depictions of her eating ice cream that happens to be pink, suggesting that her favorite flavor might be strawberry.

But if you headcanon something contrary to the source material... Try to check the source material first. I remember back in 2002 a lot of weird Lestat headcanons after the Queen of the Damned movie came out even though simply reading the books would have contradicted them.

The panels below are Lucifer talking to Delirium in The Sandman. So no, she didn't actively try to have Morpheus killed. I'm almost angry there are people who think this. Actually, I am angry.

[thenightling]

I am very tired of some Sandman fans very pretentiously claiming that The Sandman: Overture was a cash grab that Neil Gaiman pulled out of his ass. He set the seeds for The Sandman: Overture decades before it was published. Not only did Overture explain where the helm came from and the backstory of Alianora (from A Game of You), and what inspired Morpheus's "I am Hope" but it also gave us this from issue 47 (In Brief lives) from inside Destiny's Book.

Someone just claimed to me that Overture "changed" how The Sandman started. No, it didn't! It was there all along!

[thenightling]

I was just thinking how there were people genuinely angry that Beetlejuice is portrayed as bi / pan in the Beetlejuice Broadway musical and how "That's not in the original movie." Buddy... Tim Burton originally wanted Sammy David Jr. to play Beetlejuice. A one eyed, openly bisexual, black man. I bet these same people thought Otho was straight...

[thenightling]

Crack theory about The Sandman.

Okay, here we go...

I think Morpheus died in The Wake.

Morpheus caused his own death by making everyone dream he had died.

According to Dream of a thousand cats and The Sandman: Overture if a thousand souls dream the same thing at the same time it can re-write history so that what had been dreamt becomes the reality.

Having *Everyone* to attend Morpheus's wake makes more than a thousand souls dream the same thing at the same time. They all dreamt, at the same time, and that retroactively made it real that Morpheus had died because of the events of The Kindly Ones.

Just imagine it. A version of The Wake where Morpheus brought everyone there, made them dream that he had previously died and that they were grieving him, and thus that made it reality.

I think I've lost it. :-P

[thenightling]

Svengoolie is on right now!

[thenightling]

I put dates in for mine because there's an older Monster Mash movie and the one I like is the 2024 film. And with Faust it's the 1926 version I like, not any newer remake.

I don't think it was that deep at all. :-P It's an Internet quiz after all. But it was still fun to do.

My favorites are subject to change on a whim but these were the four I chose when taking the quiz.

My results:

Ah, very intriguing choices!

Nightmare Before Christmas showcases your appreciation for blending lightheartedness with darker themes, suggesting a love for the duality of life. Sleepy Hollow is a classic that delves into the macabre, indicating that you’re drawn to stories that explore the supernatural and the human psyche. With Monster Mash (2024) being a modern take on classic horror elements, it's a sign that you enjoy a playful yet nostalgic approach to storytelling. Faust (1926) reveals a deep engagement with philosophical themes concerning morality, temptation, and the human condition.

Here’s your reading: You have strong values and believe in the complexities of existence and the beauty found in darkness and whimsy. You see the world in a fantastical yet introspective way. You're definitely deep. I’d wager that your most profound thoughts and feelings arise when you're immersed in creative expression or contemplating life's moral intricacies.

[thenightling]

Svengoolie is on right now!

[thenightling]

I don't think it was that deep at all. :-P It's an Internet quiz after all. But it was still fun to do.

My favorites are subject to change on a whim but these were the four I chose when taking the quiz.

My results:

Ah, very intriguing choices!

Nightmare Before Christmas showcases your appreciation for blending lightheartedness with darker themes, suggesting a love for the duality of life. Sleepy Hollow is a classic that delves into the macabre, indicating that you’re drawn to stories that explore the supernatural and the human psyche. With Monster Mash (2024) being a modern take on classic horror elements, it's a sign that you enjoy a playful yet nostalgic approach to storytelling. Faust (1926) reveals a deep engagement with philosophical themes concerning morality, temptation, and the human condition.

Here’s your reading: You have strong values and believe in the complexities of existence and the beauty found in darkness and whimsy. You see the world in a fantastical yet introspective way. You're definitely deep. I’d wager that your most profound thoughts and feelings arise when you're immersed in creative expression or contemplating life's moral intricacies.

[thenightling]

Happy Lughnasadh / Lammas! (First of the Harvest holidays)

[thenightling]

I accidentally published the post too early, there are a lot more I can add, I'll revise it later.

Public domain monsters for your haunts

Spooky Season is upon us and if you run a Haunt or write scary stories, or comics, or even make decorations here are a list of classic horror, Halloween, and creatures of lore with name recognition that are in the public domain. Being in the public domain means anyone can use these characters. Just don't try to make them took too much like specific depictions from films because studios can lay claim to their own specific depictions. Now to begin. All these characters are in the public domain and anyone may use them. __________________________________ Vampires: Carmilla Varney The Vampire Lord Ruthven Count Dracula The three female vampires in Dracula's castle. (They are not called brides in the original novel) Mina Harker Lucy Westenra _____________________________ Ghosts Hamlet's Father (From Hamlet) Sir Simon de Canterville (The Canterville Ghost. And Lady de Canterville (possibly named Eleanor) The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow or the Dullahan of Ireland (Both headless Horsemen) (Also counts as Dangerous Faery) Stingy Jack (origin story for the Jack-o-lantern) Jacob Marley (A Christmas Carol) _______________________________ Dangerous Faeries: Red Caps The Erlking The Banshee (Also counts as ghost) Mab Robin Goodfellow (Puck) Titania Oberon ___________________ Immortals: Dorian Gray _______________ Witches: Wicked Witch of the West Baba Yaga The Blind Witch (From Hansel and Gretel) The Evil Queen (Snow White. Non-Disney version) Circe / Calypso Doktor Faust _____________________ Werewolves: King Lycaon of Arcadia (First werewolf of Greek mythology and source for the word werewolf) The Werewolf of God The Farmer's Wife (Folktale where a farmer on his way home is attacked by a werewolf and he cuts off the wolf's paw only for it to turn into the hand of his wife, she was the werewolf). Big Bad Wolf of Little Red Riding Hood Rougarou (also known as the Bayou werewolf) __________________________________ Miscellaneous Cryptids: Big Foot Loch Ness monster Moth Man Chupacabra The Kraken ___________________ Lovecraft: Cthulhu __________________ Mythology and folklore Man-killing mermaid / siren Medusa Echidna Arachne ___________________ Demons: Lucifer (Paradise Lost depiction) Mephisto (from Faust legend)

[thenightling]

Happy Lughnasadh / Lammas!

This is the Ancient first harvest. There are three harvest holidays.

It also marks the half-way point between The Summer S2olstice and the Autumn Equinox. You could call it modern Mid-Summer.

The day we actually call Midsummer is The Summer Solstice (actually the first day of summer, June 21st) because it's from early Greek seasonal divides which were two seasons instead of four- so the start of what we today consider spring was the start of their summer. And that's why it has the potentially confusing name.)

The traditional way to celebrate Lammas is to bake bread, show appreciation for nature, decorate for harvest and feast with friends and family.

The next harvest holiday is Mabon (Autumn equinox) which is most easily described as Neo Pagan / Wiccan Thanksgiving.

And then Samhain (Halloween).

So to explain the harvest holidays for those not of Neo Pagan faiths...

Mabon = Thanksgiving Holiday

Samhain = Dead Holiday.

Samhain is actually the ancient New Year, and time of year several cultures feel a connection to those who have passed and believe spirits may wander the Earth. A time of magick.

Bread, thanks, the dead.

[thenightling]

🍞Happy Lughnasadh / Lammas!🍞